Greens take on MFAT at cricket

The test match between New Zealand and England currently drawing to a close is proving an absolute rip snorter as cricketing purists would say.

Another game of cricket occurred on the weekend. A game only slightly less passionately fought out. The annual Parliament 11 vs MFAT cricket match.

This year I joined a team that also included a number of Green staffers. In keeping with modern times the match was a 20-20 event played at Karori Park.

Getting ready to wield the willow after a 17 year break

I hadn’t faced a ball in about 17 years and in all honesty was never a particularly good battler (or bowler, or even fielder come to think of it) so I was understandably a bit nervous approaching the crease

I got a couple of singles on my first few balls then went after a wide delivery that I should of let go, nicked it, and it sailed into the keepers hands.

I thought about calling a ‘point of order’ and challenging the decision, being in the Parliamentary team and all, but thought the best of it.

All in all, I was just happy not to get out for a duck or injure myself badly like I had playing for the Parliamentary rugby team.

We made 124 and were in the game for a while. I even got rolled my arm over for couple of overs towards the end of the innings. The MFAT staffers seemed bamboozled by the slowness of my pace but unfortunately worked out my leggies and off-breaks in the second over.

Sometime in the 19th over the might of Parliament was trumped by MFAT. Along the way Aaron Gilmore had been involved in a rugby league type collision with MFAT’s opening bowler.

Other than Aaron’s dented knees there no other major mishaps and I’m sure cricket was the winner on the day!